United Kingdom of Greater Yellasia
The United Kingdom of Greater Yellasia, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Greater Yellasia (GY), is a sovereign state occupying most of the Island of Yellasia, Island of Huskdor, and the Coreelian Archipelago. It shares a land border with unoccupied land. Aside from this land, Yellasia borders the Yellasian Sea to the east, the Casavarr Sea to the south, and the Dragon Strait to the west. Greater Yellasia is a unitary state with elements of federalism. It is a union of four countries: Yellasia, the Low Republic, Huskdor, Coreelia, but as a whole is a nation in its own right. It is a parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarcy. King Jack, the current King of Greater Yellasia, is notable for being the only non-human head of state in the world. Greater Yellasia is a developed country known for its high standards of living, devotion to social equality, and strong cultural traditions. It is a great power, having a high degree of influence in world affairs. History Pre-Unification According to Yellasian tradition, the Yellasian Nation was formed in 930 AD when the legendary bird, Carl Cockatoo (also known as the Great Cock), led people from all over the world to the Island of Yellasia. The Low Nation formed later in the Low Desert, though the exact circumstances of this are hotly debated. The decentralised tribes of the Yellasian Nation united to form the Yellasian Confederacy in 1312 (later the Kingdom of Yellasia in 1388) while the Low Coalition formed in 1365. The two competed for dominance during the Ancient Low War (1384-1388), ending in Yellasian victory and a rivalry that continues today. Huskdor and Coreelia were founded in 1576 and 1601 respectively as a result of Yellasian expansion. Increasing interdependence between Yellasia and the Low Coalition resulted in the Yellasian Civil War (1763-1769), ending with a Unionist victory. The two nations were united for the first time, but the relationship proved to be shaky. Unsatisfied with the Low dominated rule, Yellasians revolted in the Yellasian Revolution in 1832, re-establishing the Kingdom of Yellasia and introducing the yellow-lab monarchy. The Low Revolution followed in 1840. Relations between the two remained good until tensions escalated in 1881. A border dispute resulted in the Second Yellasian-Low War, famous for Yellasia's "cockblock", the naval blockade that was essential to the Low's defeat. The Low Nation became a protectorate of the Kingdom of Yellasia until the War of 1937 (1937-1939). The war was one of the bloodiest in Greater Yellasian history. There was no decisive victory, but the Low Republic became a de-facto independent state. Yellasia struggled with its economy for two decades, while the Low Republic remained backwards until the Oil Boom of the 1980s, culminating with Dr. Low's rise to power. World War and Unification In 2013, Dr. Low ordered the YS Maggie to be sunk, and revealed his secret association with the United Central Powers Pact. Yellasia, under Prime Minister Carl Avery, declared war, beginning the World War. The War brought devastation across the world, ending with the ousting of Dr. Low and the reunification of Yellasia and the Low Republic. The two signed the Treaty of Unification at Unification, creating the United Kingdom of Greater Yellasia. A double-rainbow appeared over the peaks as the clouds parted, and Carl Cockatoo rose again to announce 'The Ultimate Healing'. The post-unification has been marked by an economic boom and the mass migration of nearly 10 million Lows, many relocating to Yellasia and many heading abroad. Geography The geography of the UK is diverse, ranging from rolling, green hills, to glacial peaks and barren desert. Most of Yellasia and the Low Republic have temperate climates. The Yellasian Alps run through the centre of the island (which is in fact no longer an island due to lowering sea levels), seperating the colder, more temperate climate of the north with the sub-tropical climate of the south. On the south end of the Low Peninsula lies the Low Desert, the only desert in the Kingdom, with large amounts of oil. Huskdor has a sub-artic climate in its upper half, becoming heavily forested in its northern region. Its southern half is barren, freezing, and sparsely populated. In contrast, Coreelia is a tropical paradise, situated on one major island and several small atolls. Administrative Divisions The four countries are further divided into 65 counties, each with their own local government duties. In addition, there are many autonomous cities, with the City of Yell and Low City having their own seats in the House of Assembly. Politics Greater Yellasia is a parliamentary democracy with a unicameral legislature and a directly elected Prime Minister. Greater Yellasia's Constitution is flexible, allowing Parliament to easily amend it. Certain powers are reserved for the constituent countries, but the only other restriction is that Parliament may not pass laws forbiding future parliament's from repealling them. The Great Yellow, or the King or Queen, is the official Head of State of the United Kingdom. This rule is purely ceremonial; the King does not have any official influence over the political system, though he is a much loved figurehead. The Great Yellow has two rules: to stamp each Act of Parliament with his pawprint to symbolically authorise the act, and to meet with domestic and international leaders when approved. The Great Yellow has also appeared at ceremonial events and given many speeches. The monarch is non-elected; instead the Great Yellow passes his role down to his or her chosen successor. If the Great Yellow fails to select a successor, Carl Cockatoo appoints the nest monarch by squawking his chosen successor. If Carl Cockatoo does not appear, the new monarch is elected. Ever since the Yellasian Revolution, it has been required that the Great Yellow be a dog or cockatoo, though a cockatoo has never been appointed. The House of Assembly is the legislative body of Greater Yellasia, and is elected via proportional representation. Members of Parliament are tasked with composing, debating, and voting on laws and ammendments. The House of Assembly contains 245 seats; 195 representing the 65 counties of Greater Yellasia, and 50 elected at-large. The Prime Minister is directly elected, and is the official Head of Government. While also being dependent on Parliament, he or she is the head of the Council of Ministers and has the sole power to sign treaties. He or she appoints the Council of Ministers, who also must be elected MPs. Parliament may pass a vote of no confidence to oust the Prime Minister, in which case the Deputy Prime Minister would temporarily take over until a new election can be held. Devolved Administrations Each of the four countries has its own 'national government'. Yellasia, Huskdor, and Coreelia use a parliamentary model similar to that of Greater Yellasia as a whole. The Low Republic uses a presidential system with a bicameral legislature, the system of government it has used since 1941. It is widely believed to be the most inefficient, corrupt legislature in the UK. Under the Devolution Article of the UK Constitution, each of the four countries has their own reserved powers, including, but not limited to: local governance, cultural institutions, regional planning, etc. In practice, they also deal with other issues not explicitally addressed by the Greater Yellasian government, giving them a wide range of power. They also head their own national divisions of UK programmes, such as the NHS. Judicial System and Criminal Justice The Supreme Court is the sovereign court of the United Kingdom of Greater Yellasia, which only deals with plurinational issues and cases pertaining to the federal government. Each of the four countries has their own court system, but they are subject to regulations and guidelines passed by the House of Assembly. The UK follows a hybrid model combining common and civil law. Greater Yellasia's prison system is unique, based on the principle of 'redemption'. Misdemeanors are handled in a typical fashion, but major crimes are handled in different phases. Rehabilitation is the core of Greater Yellasian's prisons. After serving a certain amount of time in prison, prisoners are offered a chance to develop positive skills, and recieve counseling and other treatments. Capital punishment is abolished in Greater Yellasia. Foreign Relations Greater Yellasia is a founding member of the Vinatta Union, an economic and political union consisting of Yellasia's closest allies: Marquette, the Holy Patrician States, and Aloia, who Yellasia is said to hold a "special relationship" with. Greater Yellasia is also the founder of the International Green Party. In addition to its Vinatta Union allies, Greater Yellasia works closely with New-Zealand and Great Eurussia. Military The Greater Yellasian Armed Force consist of three branches; the Greater Yellasian Armed Forces, the Greater Yellasian Navy (subdivided into the Navy, Coast Gaurd, and Marines), and the Greater Yellasian Airforce. The armed forces are overseen by the Ministry of Defence, headed by a defence council and the Minister of Defence. The Greater Yellasian military is a unified force consisting of personel from each of the four countries, and is tasked with defending the United Kingdom from external and internal forces, preparing the nation from natural disasters, contributing to humanitarian efforts, and aiding the world in technological research. As a pacifist nation, the Greater Yellasian is not only an armed force and works closely with civillian branches of development and research. Historically, the Yellasian Armed Forces have been small or (excluding the Navy) abolished altogether. The Low Republic maintained a large, though often ineffecient, military. Now that they are united, Greater Yellasia maintains a comparatively small, but highly advanced and professionally-trained military. It's navy and airforce are very sophisticated, and its army is larger than it was in the past. Greater Yellasia has refused to develop nuclear weapons. Consricption is illegal and was never practiced, except in the Low Republic, where it was abolished in 2013 following unification.